Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 24, 2023

6

ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, June 24, 2023 

PCC Board names Jose 
Gomez Interim President

Curiosity Martian Morning, 
Afternoon in New ‘Postcard’

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

 
In a unanimous vote, the 
Pasadena City College Board 
of Trustees has chosen 
educator and administrator 
Jose A. Gomez, Ph.D., to serve 
as Interim Superintendent/
President of the college.

 Upon approval of his 
contract, Dr. Gomez is 
expected to assume the 
role in mid-July. He will 
serve during the college’s 
forthcoming search for a 
permanent chief executive.

 “Dr. Gomez embodies the 
excellence and opportunities 
of community colleges, 
where he began his education 
journey as a community 
college student,” said Sandra 
Chen Lau, president of the 
PCC Board of Trustees. 
“His breadth and depth 
of experience in higher 
education and in public 
policy provide the knowledge 
to lead PCC in this time of 
transition.

 “His impeccable academic 
credentials and track 
record as an innovative, 
accomplished educator and 
administrator will serve the 
college well. As a Pasadena 
resident and a San Gabriel 
Valley native, he is a member 
of our community.”

 Dr. Jose Gomez is currently 
executive vice president, 
provost, and chief operating 
officer at California State 
University, Los Angeles. In 
his 13 years at Cal State LA, 
he has led major initiatives 
to expand opportunities 
for students, including 
the university’s downtown 
campus, the Prison B.A. 
Graduation Initiative, and 
the regional collaboration 
incubator Cal State LA 
BioSpace.

 During Dr. Gomez’s time 
as provost, Cal State LA’s 
enrollment and graduation 
rates have climbed, and 
the university was named 
a Champion of Higher 
Education for Excellence in 
Transfer by the Campaign for 
College Opportunity. He also 
established the public-private 
partnership between the Los 
Angeles Football Club and 
Cal State LA to renovate the 
university’s stadium field 
and construct a new state-of-
the-art professional soccer 
training and operations 
facility on campus.

 Prior to arriving at Cal 
State, Dr. Gomez served as 
higher education adviser to 
the president pro tem of the 
California Senate and was 
also executive director of 
the California Educational 
Facilities Authority, where he 
assisted colleges with more 
than $1 billion in financing 
for campus development 
projects. 

 As an educator, Dr. Gomez 
has taught courses at Cal 
State LA, USC, Chaffey 
College, and Mt. San Antonio 
College, where he received 
the Educator of Distinction 
Award. His board service 
includes terms with the 
Western Association of 
Schools and Colleges Senior 
College and University 
Commission, the Los 
Angeles County Economic 
Development Corporation, 
the Western Justice Center 
Foundation, the YMCA of 
Metropolitan Los Angeles, 
The Broad Center, and the 
advisory board to Teach for 
America Los Angeles. 

 Dr. Gomez was raised in 
the San Gabriel Valley, and 
as a first-generation college 
student he attended Mt. San 
Antonio College and Citrus 
College before transferring 
to Cal Poly Pomona. His 
master’s and doctoral degrees 
are from the University of 
Southern California, where 
he was a Steven B. Sample 
Presidential Fellow. He 
received Cal Poly Pomona’s 
Distinguished Alumnus 
Award in 2019.

 Dr. Gomez lives in Pasadena 
with his wife, Catherine, their 
three children, and two dogs.


Feel the Splash of Summer!

Community Services Recreation staff are pleased to bring back the 
summer aquatics program at the San Marino High School pool! 
This year’s program includes Group and Private Swim Lessons, 
Open Swim, Adult Lap Swim & Water Walking, and Water 
Warrior Aqua-cise. View details and the pool schedule here!

Joyful Living Happy Life

Sunday, June 25 from 2:00 – 4:30 PM, Barth Community Room

 This workshop gives you tools to face challenges in the workplace, 
social life, and family life. Join the Unified Charity Foundation 
as they talk about the customs and traditions in a new land and 
how to remove cultural obstacles to prosperity. Registration is not 
required.

Melody of China

Tuesday, June 27 at 1 PM, Children’s Area

 Through a partnership with the Music Center, the Library is 
thrilled to welcome musicians from some of the most prestigious 
music conservatories in China. Melody of China offers selections 
that feature a blending of ancient cultural traditions of China and 
the youthful, multicolored American culture. Registration is not 
required.

Tween After-Hours Nerf Lock-In

Friday, June 30 from 4 – 7 PM, Barth Community Room

 When the Library lights go out, the Nerf battle begins! This 
tween-exclusive (ages 8-11) event will include food, unplugged 
games, Nerf target practice, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 
to run amok in the Library! Space is limited and registration is 
required.

4th of July Celebration – Friends, Family, Fireworks!

Tuesday, July 4 at Lacy Park

Pre-sale cost: R: $5 / NR: $15

 You’re invited to attend this beloved patriotic event, featuring 
food trucks, a fun zone, parade, entertainment, and an exciting 
fireworks display! This is a ticketed event and wristbands are 
required for adults and youth over 2 years old. Pre-sale wristbands 
can be purchased now through July 3. For detailed information 
on wristbands, visit CityofSanMarino.org/Fireworks. For general 
information, call (626) 943-2627.

Senior Trip: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum: 
Auschwitz Exhibition

Monday, August 7 from 8 AM – 6 PM

Cost per person: R: $96 / NR: $111

 This trip includes a 2-hour guided tour of the Ronald Reagan 
Library with a docent and a 2-hour audio tour of the Auschwitz 
Exhibit. The Library integrates hundreds of artifacts and dozens 
of interactive displays for visitors of all ages to explore. The 
Auschwitz Exhibit brings together more than 700 original objects 
of great historic and human value. Lunch at the Air Force One 
Pavilion is included. Registration is required; reserve your spot by 
July 17.

Summer Sunset Concerts

Friday, July 21, August 4, 18, Lacy Park

 Grab your chairs and blankets to carve out your spot in the 
middle of Lacy Park and enjoy 3 free concerts this summer! 
Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and drink, or 
purchase concessions from a variety of food trucks. Join us on 
July 21 at 6 PM for The Remotes, August 4 at 6 PM for Kelly Boyz 
Band, and August 18 for a multicultural concert! Registration is 
not required.

Water Schedule - California American Water

 California American Water recently notified the City that, 
effective June 1st, all customers are encouraged to begin following 
the below watering schedule:

THREE-DAYS-A-WEEK 

Odd Addresses (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Tuesday, Friday, 
and Sunday 

Even Addresses (Addresses ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, 0): Monday, 
Thursday, and Saturday 

No watering on Wednesday 

To avoid evaporation, it is recommended that customers water 
outdoors before 9:00 a.m. or after sunset. 

Watering should be limited to a total of 10-minutes per station per 
allowed days. 

Hand watering with a garden hose/nozzle and low-flow irrigation 
systems (Including drip irrigation and micro spray) that emit less 
than two gallons per hour are exempt from days of week and time 
limitations. 

Please note that these measures are recommended for residents, 
not required. California American Water has indicated that all 
customers will receive billing inserts and other communications 
notifying them of the changes. Residents can visit California 
American Water’s website or call 888-237-1333 for more 
information. 

Meetings

Planning Commission Meeting

Wednesday, June 28 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers and 
Zoom (Public Access)

Joint City Council & Design Review Committee Meeting

Friday, June 30 at 8:30 AM; Barth Room and Zoom (Public Access)

 After completing a major 
software update in April, 
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover 
took a last look at “Marker 
Band Valley” before leaving 
it behind, capturing a 
“postcard” of the scene.

 The postcard is an 
artistic interpretation of 
the landscape, with color 
added over two black-and-
white panoramas captured 
by Curiosity’s navigation 
cameras. The views were 
taken on April 8 at 9:20 a.m. 
and 3:40 p.m. local Mars 
time, providing dramatically 
different lighting that, when 
combined, makes details in 
the scene stand out. Blue was 
added to parts of the postcard 
captured in the morning 
and yellow to parts taken in 
the afternoon, just as with 
a similar postcard taken by 
Curiosity in November 2021.

 The resulting image is 
striking. Curiosity is in the 
foothills of Mount Sharp, 
which stands 3 miles (5 
kilometers) high within Gale 
Crater, where the rover has 
been exploring since landing 
in 2012. In the distance 
beyond its tracks is Marker 
Band Valley, a winding 
area in the “sulfate-bearing 
region” within which the 
rover discovered unexpected 
signs of an ancient lake. 
Farther below (at center and 
just to the right) are two hills 
–“Bolívar” and “Deepdale” –
that Curiosity drove between
while exploring “Paraitepuy
Pass.”

 “Anyone who’s been to a 
national park knows the 
scene looks different in the 
morning than it does in the 
afternoon,” said Curiosity 
engineer Doug Ellison 
of NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in Southern 
California, who planned 
and processed the images. 
“Capturing two times of 
day provides dark shadows 
because the lighting is 
coming in from the left and 
the right, like you might have 
on a stage – but instead of 
stage lights, we’re relying on 
the Sun.”

 Adding to the depth of the 
shadows is the fact that it was 
winter – a period of lower 
airborne dust – at Curiosity’s 
location when the images 
were taken. “Mars’ shadows 
get sharper and deeper when 
there’s low dust and softer 
when there’s lots of dust,” 
Ellison added.

 The image peers past the 
rear of the rover, providing a 
glimpse of its three antennas 
and nuclear power source. 
The Radiation Assessment 
Detector, or RAD, 
instrument, which appears 
as a white circle in the lower 
right of the image, has been 
helping scientists learn how 
to protect the first astronauts 
sent to Mars from radiation 
on the planet’s surface.

 Curiosity was built by NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
which is managed by Caltech. 
For more about Curiosity, 
visit: mars.nasa.gov/msl.

South Pasadena Fourth 

of July Festival of Balloons

 The City of South Pasadena 
announced Wednesday the 
return of the 4th of July Festival 
of Balloons. This year’s theme 
is Red, White, and Blue - Bold 
Stripes, Bright Stars, and Brave 
Hearts Too.

 The activities for the July 4th 
Festival of Balloons will include 
the Kiwanis’ Pancake Breakfast 
at the South Pasadena Fire 
Station at 7:00 a.m., located at 817 
Mound Ave., South Pasadena. 
The Opening Ceremony for the 
parade will start at 10:30 a.m. 
at the South Pasadena Public 
Library Community Room, 
located at 1115 El Centro St., 
South Pasadena. The parade 
will then begin at 11:00 a.m. and 
travel from Diamond Avenue to 
Garfield Park where games and 
food will be available until 3:00 
p.m. Garfield Park will also host
a live concert from 12:00 p.m. to 
2:00 p.m. featuring U.S. 99.

Parade participants historically
has, and continues to include, the 
scouts, officials, representatives
of service clubs, and members
of such sports organizations as
Little League and AYSO, the
South Pasadena Tournament of
Roses Committee, City Council
members, and participants of
the Library’s Summer Reading
Program.

 Civic leaders Ted and Joan 
Shaw and David Margrave 
started the tradition in 1982, 
according the Jane Apostol’s 
history of South Pasadena. This 
year’s theme is “Red, White, and 
Blue – Bold Stripes, Bright Stars, 
and Brave Hearts Too.”

 The day will conclude with 
fireworks at 9:00 p.m. at the 
South Pasadena High School 
Stadium, located at 1401 
Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. 
Firework Show presale tickets 
will be available for purchase 
beginning Wednesday, June 14 
for $11.00 per person online 
at southpasadenaca.gov/
events. Tickets purchased for 
the Firework Show on July 4 
will be available for purchase 
online from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 
p.m. for $13.00. Gates open at
7:00 p.m. Please bring a copy of
your receipt and tickets to enter
the stadium. Due to the field
construction at the high school,
seating for the fireworks will be
on the bleachers only.

 Community members and 
groups have the opportunity 
to participate in the event, 
and all are welcome to join 
in viewing the event, which 
is open to the public and free 
of charge. Interested parties 
are encouraged to incorporate 
the theme into their entry’s 
decorations and to include 
music. Registered participants 
may walk or ride along the route 
in a vehicle along the parade 
route of about 0.6 miles.

 For those interested in 
participating in the parade, 
applications can be found 
online at southpasadenaca.
gov/events. Deadline to submit 
an application is June 23. For 
more information contact 
the Community Services 
Department at (626) 403-7380 
or by email at specialevents@
southpasadenaca.gov.

Portantino’s Statement on 
Last Week's Budget Vote

 
Senator Anthony 
Portantino last week released 
the following statement 
regarding the action taken by 
the Legislature on the 2023-
24 State Budget:

 “Today, the Senate voted 
on a budget that reflects 
our goals of passing a 
responsible budget while 
protecting the progress we 
have made in recent years. 
The budget we voted on 
today includes $30.7B in 
solutions to close the budget 
shortfall, maintains General 
Fund reserves of $37.2B, 
and continues to make key 
investments. There are also 
no ongoing cuts to core 
programs and no middle 
class tax increases.

 As a proud champion of 
California’s public education 
system, I am pleased that we 
were able to approve a budget 
that provides schools and 
community colleges with a 
$2.1B increase in funding and 
maintains the Middle Class 
Scholarship. The budget 
also includes much needed 
investments in naloxone and 
opioid overdose prevention. 
The opioid crisis is tragic and 
we must do more to combat 
its impact on our children 
–and this includes making
naloxone readily available for
high-risk age groups. SB 234,
which I authored this year,
will do just that.

 I am particularly excited 
and encouraged that we 
approved $15 million for 
the commercial dishwasher 
grant program for schools 
to address single-use waste. 
Last year, I authored Senate 
Bill 1255, a bill that was 
sponsored by the Glendale 
Environmental Coalition 
and would have created this 
grant program for schools. 
This funding will help 
schools with the upfront 
costs associated with the 
purchase and installation of 
equipment that has acted as 
a barrier to addressing this 
issue.

 I am grateful that we 
voted to extend the Film 
and Television Tax Credit 
Program for five years 
beginning in 2025-26. This 
has long been an important 
program for my constituents 
because of the economic 
benefits the program 
provides to the Los Angeles 
region and California as a 
whole. Last year, I authored 
SB 485 to extend the Film 
and Television Tax Credit 
Program until 2030 and 
based on negotiations with 
the Governor and his team, 
I held the bill so that details 
could be included in this 
year’s budget. I appreciate the 
Governor’s commitment to 
this issue and thank him for 
collaborating with me, labor 
and studios on the extension.

 I look forward to working 
with the Governor and 
my colleagues on a final 
agreement for a responsible 
and sound budget.”


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com